Portable lamp



D. E. KRAM ER PORTABLE LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 00p. 25, 1967 i ,IF G

, I A 5 Y INVENTOR:

O 19 0 KRAMER 3,536,9 1

PORTABLE LAMP Filed Oct. 23, 1967 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 79 e se FIG.3 v1 18 dh'l INVLNTOR. DAVID E. KRAMER ATT'YS United States Patent 3,536,907 PORTABLE LAMP David E. Kramer, Morton Grove, Ill., assignor to Daniel Woodhead Company,'Northbrook, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 677,280 Int. Cl. F21v 15/00 U.S. Cl. 240-54 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Portable lamp having a longitudinally split, plastic, handle-forming base, a reflector extending upwardly from the base and partially enveloping a lamp screwed in a socket of the base, a wire cage across the open side of the reflector and hingedly mounted on the upper part of the reflector, springable wire legs at the bottom of the cage removably received in sockets in the base, a hook extending upwardly from the upper part of the reflector, and the shank of the hook being rotatably received between the upper part of the reflector and the hinge for the wire cage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns improvements in portable lamps known as drop or extension lights or trouble lamps with drop cords. Such devices comprise in general a reflector enveloping about one-half of the light bulb and a wire cage or guard closing off the front portion of the reflector about the light bulb for the purpose of preventing the light bulb from being struck and broken. Many of such devices embodied hooks secured to the reflector for suspending the extension light. The previously known lights, in general, are satisfactory, but there is still need for improvement of such devices, particularly as to ease of construction and interfitting of parts in a simple and expeditious manner.

Exemplary drop or extension lights known in the art may be found in Pats. Nos. 2,178,907, 2,608,643, 2,677,- 753, 2,723,343, 2,735,930, 2,855,501 and 3,119,568.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION Briefly the present invention concerns improvements in portable light structures of the extension type, whereir the base member comprising the handle or grip portion of the lamp has an enlarged head portion containing an upwardly open socket adapted to receive the base of a lamp, i.e., a light bulb. A reflector is fixedly mounted on the head portion. It projects upwardly therefrom and partly envelops the light bulb. A wire cage or guard is positioned across the open side of the reflector and is mounted thereon by hinge means for pivoting the mounted cage about a horizontal axis. In a preferred form, the wire cage or guard comprises a pair of spaced vertical wire legs connected at their upper ends by a bight segment which is part of the hinge means. The lower ends of the legs constitute sidewardly springable Wire segments adapted to be received in receiving sockets in the head portion of the base member. Each socket has a shoulder forming catch means adapted to releasably hold the lower ends of the wide legs therein.

The hinge means preferably comprises a flat plate extending across the upper portion of the sphere shaped upper end of the reflector at the apex portion thereof. A shoulder on the shank of a hook is positioned in the space between the apex portion of the reflector and the flat plate, whereby the reflector and flat plate of the hinge coact to rotatably hold the shank of the hook therebetween.

The handle or base portion of the lamp is preferably "ice split longitudinally into separable, hollow, front and rear sections. The base of the reflector is mounted about the upper portion of the rear section by a rearwardly directed stud or peg on said upper portion extending through a hole in the lower rear portion of the reflector and by apertured, inwardly extending ears on the lower, front corners of the reflector. The cars are seated between the upper portions of the separable, front and rear sections and are held by studs extending from the upper portion of one section through the apertures in the ears, thereby securing the cars from displacement.

The electrical connections of the lamp are, for the most part, conventional. One improvement, however, of the invention is the provision of a cable clamp formed integrally in the handle or grip portion formed by the split, front and rear sections. Such clamp comprises respective pairs of axially spaced, opposingly aligned walls in each section in clamping relationship about an electrical cable extending into the lower, axial end of the handle or grip portion. The respective clamping walls have opposed, clamping edges in facing registration to secure the cable in the grip portion and preferably are drawn together by bolts or screws positioned at each end of and axially between the clamping edges.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of the aforesaid front and rear sections in the form or synthetic polymer resin moldings with catches and latches molded integrally therein. The catches and latches coact with the aforesaid screws or bolts to secure the sections in opposed, interfitting relationship through the utilization of projecting arms with catch members on one of the sections, and outwardly springable, U-shaped latch arms projecting from the corresponding opposite edges of the other section. The bight portions of the U-shaped latch arms respectively seat or hook over the catch mem bers when the sections are brought into assembled relationship.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the lamp with the wire cage swung outwardly;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view with the handle or grip sections and the reflector in exploded relationship;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the handle or grip portion in exploded relationship;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the detail for mounting the swivel hook on the apex of the reflector, and comprise sections taken on section plane 5--5 of FIG. 2 and section plane 6-6 of FIG. 5, respectively;

FIG. 7 is a section of the assembled handle or grip portion taken on the section plane 77 of FIG. 3; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are elevations of fragments of the handle sections and show the detail of the cable clamping means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, the portable lamp 10 comprises a handle or grip portion 11. The handle or grip portion is longitudinally split into a molded, front section 13 and a molded rear section 12 with a flange or lip 14 adapted to fit inside the facing edge of the section 12.

Both the front and rear sections have in the handle or grip portion integrally molded sections 16 for holding the electrical contacts adapted to coact with electrical plugs which can be inserted into electrical plug openings 17 and 18 in the front and rear sections when it is desired to use the lamp as an extension cord. The electrical connections for this purpose are conventional and are not illustrated in the drawings.

A lamp, i.e., a light bulb 21, projects from the upper end of the handle or grip member 11. The rear portion of the bulb 21 is enveloped by a metal reflector 22 comprising a spherically upper shaped segment 23 and a tapered, frusto-conical lower segment 24. Near the rear, lower edge of the latter, there is a hole 25 adapted to fit over the peg or stud 26 projecting rearwardly from the upper portion of the rear section 12. Coacting therewith in holding the reflector on the handle or grip portion are tabs or ears 27 and 28 of the front, lower edges of the reflector. These ears project inwardly, and each has a hole 29 through which extend the pegs or studs 30, 31 of the front section 13. The pegs or studs 30, 31 extend through the holes 29 and also holes 32 in the rear section 12 when the sections 12 and 13 are brought together. Thus the pegs or studs 26, and 31 securely mount the reflector 22 on the assembled handle or grip portion of the lamp.

The bulb 21 is guarded against breakage by the open, wire cage 35. The wire cage or guard 35 comprises a wire bent into a bight segment 36 and a pair of depending, vertical legs 37 and 38. Three semi-circular wires 39 are attached to the legs 37 and 38 to provide horizontal guard members of the wire cage.

The lower ends of the vertical wire legs 37 and 38 have rearwardly offset segments 40 and 41, which terminate in downwardly depending tips 42 and 43. These tips are rearwardly offset relative to wire legs 37 and 38. The tips 42 and 43 are received in grooves or recesses 44 and 45 in the enlarged head portion 60 of the handle or grip member 11. The grooves 44 and 45 have inclined plane shoulders 46 (FIG. 4) functioning as catch members for the tip portions 42 and 43. The tip portions 42 and 43 are released from the shoulders 46 by springing them inwardly a suflicient distance so that the tips will clear the shoulders 46 and allow the tips to be withdrawn from the recesses 44 and 45.

The bight portion 36 is pivotally mounted in a hinge 50 which comprises an upper plate 51 and the lower plate 52 connected by a circular bend 53, in which is rotatably seated the bight portion 36. The hinge 50 is held at the apex portion of the reflector 22 by rivets 54. The hinge plates are used to pivotally mount hook 55 on the apex of the reflector. The hook shank 56 has a retaining ring or shoulder 57 in the space 58 which exists between the flat plates 51 and 52 and the curved apex of the reflector 22. The base portion of the shank of hook 55 extends through a hole 59 (FIG. 2) in the apex of the reflector.

The enlarged head portion 60 of the handle or grip 11 has a hole 61 in its upper wall 65, through which hole the base of the lamp bulb 21 is threaded, or otherwise attached, in an electrical socket (not shown) mounted in the cavity 62 of the head portion 60. The lamp socket is connected by the usual electrical wiring to an electrical cable constituting the extension cord, which cable enters the hollow handle or grip portion 11 through the bottom opening 66.

The previously described studs or pegs 30 and 31 project outwardly from the walls 63 and 64. The latter walls face walls 67 and 68, which contain the aforedescribed apertures 32. The walls 67 and 68 extend across the side cavities 63 and 70.

The lower portion of the front and rear sections 12 and 13 are held together by screws 71, which extend through recessed walls 72, 73, and are threaded into protuberances 74, 75 in the rear segment 12. The two sections of the head portion 60 are held together by providing forwardly directed arm 76 on opposite sides of the front section 13, which arms each carry a catch member 77. U-shaped latch arms 78 project forwardly from the front edges of the rear segment 12, and are adapted to fit over and catch upon the catch members 77. The U-shaped latch arms 78 are springable and can be sprung outwardly by sliding a sharp tool, such as a screw driver, therebeneath to disengage latch arm 78 from the members 77 For this 4 purpose the head portion of the front segment 13 has a groove 79 (FIG. 3) immediately behind the catch member 77, which groove provides a surface substantially flush with and next to the underside of the bight portion.

The cable clamping member is illustrated in FIGS. 7-9 and comprises a pair of axially spaced walls 80 and 81 on the front segment 13, which walls extend between the recessed walls 72 and 73 along opposite edges thereof. The opposing portion of the clamp member comprises walls 82 and 83 axially spaced in facing registration with walls 80 and 81, and extending laterally between the prd tuberances 74 and 75.

The center portions of the walls 8083 have arcuate seats 84 which bear against opposite side of the electrical cable 85 and lightly bite into the outer sheath thereof to grip the cable tightly. The grip thereon is released when the screws 71 are loosened to permit the sections 12 and 13 to separate. The screws 71 are preferably positioned axially between and at opposite ends of the pairs of clamping walls 80, 81, and 82, 83.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant davantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A portable lamp comprising a lower base member with an upwardly opening socket adapted to receive the base of a lamp, a reflector fixedly mounted on said base, projecting upwardly therefrom and partially enveloping said lamp, a wire cage across the open side of said reflector, hinge means pivotally mounting said wire cage on the upper side of said reflector for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, at least one sidewardly springable, vertical wire segment on the lower edge of said cage, a U- shaped wire-receiving socket in said base to receive each springable wire segment, and a side wall of said U- shaped socket having an inclined plane extending rearwardly into said socket with a wire-catching shoulder immediately behind said inclined plane and adapted to catch said wire segment and to releasably hold said wire segment therein.

2. A lamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wire cage comprises a pair of spaced, vertical wire legs connected at their upper ends by a bight segment, said bight segment being part of said hinge means, the lower ends of said legs constituting sidewardly springable wire segments swingable into and out of respective wire-receiving sockets, and a shoulder on a side of each socket forming said catch means in said sockets.

3. A portable lamp comprising a lower base member with an upwardly opening socket adapted to receive the base of a lamp, a reflector fixedly mounted on said base, projecting upwardly therefrom and partially enveloping said lamp, a wire cage across the open side of said reflector, hinge means pivotally mounting said wire cage on the upper side of said reflector for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, at least one sidewardly springable, vertical wire segment on the lower edge of said cage, means forming a wire-receiving socket in said base to receive each springable wire segment, and a catch means in said socket adapted to releasably hold said wire segment therein, the upper portion of said reflector being substantially hemispherical, said hinge means including a substantially flat plate extending across the apex portion of said hemispherical upper portion, thereby providing a space therebetween, means fixedly attachingsaid plate to said reflector, a hook projecting upwardly from said apex portion with its shank extending through a hole in said apex portion and through a hole in said plate, and a ring shoulder, of larger size than said holes, on said shank and rotatably held between said apex portion and said plate in said space to pivotally mount said hook on said reflector.

4. A portable lamp comprising a lower base member with an upwardly opening socket adapted to receive the base of a lamp, a reflector fixedly mounted on said base, projecting upwardly therefrom and partially enveloping said lamp, said base member embodying separable, hollow, front and rear sections, a rearwardly directed stud on the upper portion of said rear section, the lower portion of said reflector being mounted about said upper portion of said rear section and having an aperture therein through which said stud projects, the upper portions of said front and rear sections having adjacent the outer edges thereof opposing walls, apertured inwardly extending ears on the lower front corners of said lower portion of said reflector, said ears being positioned between said opposing walls of said front and rear sections, said walls of said front section having studs projecting outwardly therefrom, said Walls of said rear section having apertures therein, and said last mentioned studs extending through the apertures in said ears and said apertures in said Walls of said rear section, whereby said reflector is held on said base member by the three studs aforesaid extending through the respective apertures aforesaid.

5. A portable lamp comprising a hollow base having a base portion and a depending, grip portion, said hollow base containing the socket for a lamp and the electrical conductor connections therefor, said base being split along the length thereof into opposing, separable sections with opposing, contacting edges, and means holding the sections together including projecting arms with catch members, said arms projecting from opposite edges of said base portion of one of said segments and outwardly springable, U-shaped latch arms projecting from the corresponding opposite edges of the other of said segments, and the bight portions of said latch arms respectively seated over said catch members.

6. A lamp as claimed in claim 5 wherein said sections are synthetic polymer resin moldings with said catches and said latches molded integrally therewith.

7. A lamp as claimed in claim 6 wherein said one of said segments has flat surface substantially flush with and next to the underside of said bight portion whereby said latch arm may be sprung outwardly by a relative sharp tool inserted thereunder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,382,800 6/1921 Purple 24O---54 2,567,687 9/1951 Benander 240-54.2 2,653,219 9/1953 Popp 24052.3 X 2,677,753 5/ 1954 Heinz 24054.2 2,975,269 3/1961 Kevorkian 240-l02.2

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner A. MATHEWS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

